PostgreSQL 8.3.7 Documentation
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# F.30. test_parser

`test_parser` is an example of a custom parser for full-text search. It doesn't do anything especially useful, but can serve as a starting point for developing your own parser.

`test_parser` recognizes words separated by white space, and returns just two token types:

    mydb=# SELECT * FROM ts_token_type('testparser');
     tokid | alias |  description
    -------+-------+---------------
         3 | word  | Word
        12 | blank | Space symbols
    (2 rows)

These token numbers have been chosen to be compatible with the default parser's numbering. This allows us to use its `headline()` function, thus keeping the example simple.

## F.30.1. Usage

Running the installation script creates a text search parser `testparser`. It has no user-configurable parameters.

You can test the parser with, for example,

    mydb=# SELECT * FROM ts_parse('testparser', 'That''s my first own parser');
     tokid | token
    -------+--------
         3 | That's
        12 |
         3 | my
        12 |
         3 | first
        12 |
         3 | own
        12 |
         3 | parser

Real-world use requires setting up a text search configuration that uses the parser. For example,

    mydb=# CREATE TEXT SEARCH CONFIGURATION testcfg ( PARSER = testparser );
    CREATE TEXT SEARCH CONFIGURATION

    mydb=# ALTER TEXT SEARCH CONFIGURATION testcfg
    mydb-#   ADD MAPPING FOR word WITH english_stem;
    ALTER TEXT SEARCH CONFIGURATION

    mydb=#  SELECT to_tsvector('testcfg', 'That''s my first own parser');
              to_tsvector
    -------------------------------
     'that':1 'first':3 'parser':5
    (1 row)

    mydb=# SELECT ts_headline('testcfg', 'Supernovae stars are the brightest phenomena in galaxies',
    mydb(#                    to_tsquery('testcfg', 'star'));
                               ts_headline
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
     Supernovae <b>stars</b> are the brightest phenomena in galaxies
    (1 row)

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